The social legitimacy of international organizations: the case of WHO in Mexico during COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Although international organizations (IOs) exist and obtain their legitimacy from the agreement between states that make up them, with the strengthening of civil society as a very important international actor, IOs can also obtain social legitimacy. The latter allows them to act more independently from the will of the member states, as citizenship also becomes a sector to which the body must respond. The World Health Organization (WHO) has been under a great deal of international scrutiny over the past year, as it has been in charge of leading the international response to the COVID-19 pandemic, amid great criticism and pressure. The purpose of this article is to analyze the social legitimacy of this body in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico.